The present invention relates generally to tamper-proof closures, and more particularly to a novel visible tamper-proof closure and container arrangement wherein a seal is applied to surfaces internally of an already closed container in a manner such that any tampering with the closure cap causes irreparable damage to the seal which is visually observable through the closure cap.
The emphasis on public safety in recent years, and particularly as it relates to commercial products which are ingested by human beings, has led to the development of various types of containers and closure caps which are termed "tamper-proof". Tamper-proof containers and closures include both containers which have membrane or thin foil-like seals secured as by an adhesive about the periphery of the container neck so as to cover the access opening, and closure caps which are constructed to prevent removal of the closures from associated containers without causing some visual indication that the closure has been removed or otherwise tampered with. This is of particular concern with containers used for ingestible commercially available products so that the purchaser can feel reasonably safe that the purchased goods are unadulterated. The development of tamper-proof containers and closures has resulted from both voluntary private innovation and as a result of legislation passed to insure minimum standards of safety.
A significant drawback of tamper-proof seals of the type wherein a membrane or foil-like seal is placed on the neck of the container so as to overlie the access opening is that while the seal is generally broken by the purchaser to provide access to the contents of the container, it does not take a high degree of skill to at least partially remove the seal for access to the container followed by reattachment of the seal in a manner undetectable by the average consumer. The ability of such a seal to provide a substantially foolproof indication to the consumer that the contents of the container have not been tampered with are thus quite minimal.
One type of closure arrangement which has become quite prevalent in the packaging of consumer products and particularly in the packaging of dairy products such as milk, utilizes a closure cap having a breakaway tamper-proof ring attached therewith through one or more frangible connector elements such that removal of the primary cap generally causes it to be severed from the ring or otherwise fractures the ring so as to provide a visual indication that the primary closure cap has been removed. While this type of tamper-proof closure cap has proven generally successful for its intended purpose, it does not absolutely prevent removal and reapplication by a skilled technician without severing the frangible connections between the closure cap and the tamper-proof ring. Moreover, one having access to the proper equipment can readily remove such a tamper-proof closure even though destroying it in the process, and reapply a closure in similar fashion to the original manufacturer or processor. A significant need thus exists for a tamper-proof closure arrangement wherein the primary closure cap cannot be manipulated or removed in any manner without irreparably damaging a visually observable seal and wherein the seal is applied in a manner which prevents reapplication of a seal by one without a high degree of skill and specialized equipment.